India and Israel’s Soft Power Deception to Mask Human Rights Abuse

How India and Israel weaponize soft power to mask oppression, rewrite narratives, and evade accountability?

India and Israel are weaponizing soft power to rewrite global narratives, concealing systemic oppression under layers of progress and security. This cynical manipulation betrays fundamental principles of justice and truth.

India has perfected the art of masking its brutal occupation of Indian Illegally Occupied Jammu and Kashmir (IIOJK) with Bollywood’s glitzy portrayal of harmony. By crafting false stories, it diverts attention from its human rights atrocities in the region. Now, Israel seeks to mirror these tactics, using media to depict its illegal occupation of Palestine as a necessary security measure.

Digital platforms have become tools of distortion for both nations. India’s digital diplomacy paints a sanitized picture, dismissing the anguish of its oppressed citizens. Israel is adopting this approach, weaponizing social media to counter criticism of its apartheid-like policies in Palestine. The systematic whitewashing of oppression through digital influence is a mockery of global accountability.

International organizations, meant to uphold justice, are not spared. India manipulates global forums to block resolutions condemning its actions in IIOJK, playing the victim to gain sympathy. Israel plans to replicate this, leveraging its influence to escape scrutiny for its Palestinian occupation. These tactics expose the hypocrisy in their appeals for justice while denying it to others.

Cultural diplomacy is yet another tool in this deception. India’s educational exchanges and cultural initiatives build international goodwill while trampling on basic rights at home. Israel, inspired by this model, seeks to cloak its aggression in Palestine with a facade of cultural benevolence. This exploitation of soft power makes a mockery of genuine diplomatic engagement.

Both nations have taken to surveillance technologies to tighten control over dissent and narrative. India uses these tools to stifle voices in IIOJK, setting a dangerous precedent. Israel is eager to refine its surveillance apparatus to suppress criticism of its actions in Palestine, further eroding freedoms under the pretense of security.

The diaspora’s role in shaping global opinions cannot be overlooked. India deploys its diaspora to deflect criticism and propagate favorable narratives. Israel intends to mobilize its diaspora similarly, ensuring international organizations and politicians are swayed by their distorted portrayals.

By exploiting economic initiatives and humanitarian aid, India and Israel present themselves as benefactors while ignoring the suffering they cause. This facade allows them to maintain influence while continuing their campaigns of oppression.

The global community must not fall for this narrative engineering. Behind the rhetoric of progress and security lies a calculated effort to justify oppression. The world must hold these nations accountable for their actions.